Poor families to receive a raised monthly cash aid

President Rodrigo Duterte requested the Department of Finance (DoF) to increase financial aid for poor families from ₱200 to ₱500 monthly.

The government is expected to allocate ₱33.1 billion to cover 12 million households.

President Duterte asked Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III to search for the fund to address the subsidy increase despite the foreseen problems after six months of implementation.

The ₱200 monthly stipend was originally a project of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps).

During the signing of the Public Serve Act, Duterte commented that the amount was too small to aid the families of three or four in coping price hikes in the market and directed to raise to ₱500.

In contrast, Duterte still retained the excise tax on fuel products because the suspension can lead to ₱109.5 billion revenue loss. The DoF also showed disinterest regarding the ₱24 billion-wage subsidy supporting minimum wage workers.

As of now, the government has provided cash assistance to public transportation and the agricultural sector. ₱5 billion is given to public transportation drivers, and ₱1 billion pesos is granted to fuel discounts for farmers.